Fire to robbery, rough 24 hours for Kingsway chain

Published: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 05:19 PM.

“All that was burned was what was in the hose,” King said. “It wasn’t a lot of gas, but it looked like it with that big flame.”

He’s not sure how much damage was done, but said it could be in the $10,000 range. The store is still open but it is selling about three-quarters its average amount of gas, King said.

Following the hit and run, witnesses say they saw a man fleeing the scene with a large gun.

No one was injured.

Gastonia City Police Department issued warrants for Thompson’s arrest, but had not apprehended him by Tuesday evening. He is charged with two counts of hit and run with property damage and one count of “going armed to the terror of the people,” according to police.

Police are urging anyone with information on his whereabouts to call the department at 704-866-6702 or the telecommunications center at 911.

Two local Kingsway convenience stores saw their fair share of trouble this week.

First, at the Kingsway store off Bessemer City Road, a man ran his car into a gas pump Monday evening, fleeing the burning with a gun in hand. Hours later, someone broke in through the roof of a Kingsway store off Chapel Grove Road.

Owner Jay King said it has left him weary, getting only two hours of sleep the night of the troubles.

Hit and run

The first incident took place around 6 p.m. Monday at the Kingsway Citgo near the intersection of Bessemer City Road and Sunset Avenue. Police believe a 28-year-old Gastonia man, Anthony Dion Thompson, of 2424 Sunset Ave., Apartment D, ran his car into a six-hose gas dispenser that sent his sedan up in flames.

King said it could have been worse.

The pump that Thompson ran into was programmed to shut off when detached.

“All that was burned was what was in the hose,” King said. “It wasn’t a lot of gas, but it looked like it with that big flame.”

He’s not sure how much damage was done, but said it could be in the $10,000 range. The store is still open but it is selling about three-quarters its average amount of gas, King said.

Following the hit and run, witnesses say they saw a man fleeing the scene with a large gun.

No one was injured.

Gastonia City Police Department issued warrants for Thompson’s arrest, but had not apprehended him by Tuesday evening. He is charged with two counts of hit and run with property damage and one count of “going armed to the terror of the people,” according to police.

Police are urging anyone with information on his whereabouts to call the department at 704-866-6702 or the telecommunications center at 911.

Break-in

Around 1:20 a.m. on Tuesday, a man broke into the Kingsway store on Chapel Grove Road. The thief got away with cigarettes and lottery tickets.

The man broke into the store through the roof, King said.

“He fell down from the roof and tore my overhead all to pieces,” King said.

There was also damage to the interior of the store, he said.

Security cameras caught the man behind the counter. King said he is an ardent believer in the cameras.

“I’m putting them in as fast as I can afford them,” he said.

Anyone who recognizes the man can call Gaston County Police Department at 704-866-3320 or Crime Stoppers at 704-861-8000.

You can reach reporter Lauren Baheri 704-869-1842 or Twitter.com/Lbaheri.